Method of collating photographic prints with photographic film

Abstract

A process for collating photographic film with prints made therefrom. During a reception process of a photofinishing order, data indicative of a customer's ID number recorded on an envelope is recorded in a magnetic recording layer of a photographic film. During a printing process, the customer's ID number is read out from the magnetic recording layer, and is recorded on the rear of a corresponding photographic print. The customer's ID number on the photographic film read out from the magnetic recording layer is displayed on a display device, or is recorded in the form of manually readable symbols onto the photographic film or a cassette. In collating, the three customer's ID numbers are compared with one another, so as to judge the correspondence between the envelope and the photographic film and a set of photographic prints. If they correctly correspond to one another, the photographic film and the photographic print set are packed in the envelope. For automatic collation, the customer's ID number is recorded as a bar code on the envelope and the photographic prints.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of collating a developed photographic film with a set of photographic prints made from said film, said film having a photosensitive emulsion layer for recording a plurality of original frames and a magnetic recording layer for data recording, comprising the steps of: recording a customer's first ID data in said magnetic recording layer during reception of a photofinishing order;   reading said first ID data and recording a customer's second ID data, corresponding to said first ID data, onto at least one photographic print of said set during printing; and   comparing said first and second ID data with each other, so as to check the correspondence between said set of photographic prints and said photographic film.   
     
     
       2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said magnetic recording layer is disposed on one side of said film and said photosensitive emulsion layer is disposed on the other side of said film. 
     
     
       3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first ID data is recorded on a portion of said magnetic recording layer disposed on a leader portion of said photographic film. 
     
     
       4. A method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising the step of: winding said film on a spool disposed inside a cassette in a light-tight fashion, said film leader portion being propelled out of said cassette by rotating said spool in a direction so as to unwind said photographic film.   
     
     
       5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein said film leader portion has a triangular end edge. 
     
     
       6. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein said first and second ID data are in the form of numbers. 
     
     
       7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said first and second ID numbers are formed by combining an identification code number for a photofinishing agency with a reception number in said photofinishing agency. 
     
     
       8. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said second ID number is recorded in the form of visually readable numerals. 
     
     
       9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said second ID number is recorded on a rear surface of said photographic print. 
     
     
       10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said second ID number is recorded on a first print of said set of photographic prints that is made from said photographic film. 
     
     
       11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said second ID number is also recorded on a last print of said set of photographic prints that are made from said photographic film. 
     
     
       12. A method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising the steps of: collating said photographic film with said set of prints; and   packing said photographic film and said corresponding set of said prints in an envelope having a customer's third ID number, corresponding to said first and second ID numbers printed thereon.   
     
     
       13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said winding step occurs after said photographic film is subjected to printing. 
     
     
       14. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein said reading step and said winding step occur essentially simultaneously. 
     
     
       15. A method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising the step of: printing said first ID number onto a peripheral surface of said cassette for collation with a set of said photographic prints.   
     
     
       16. A method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising the step of: recording a customer's fourth ID number, in the form of visually readable numerals, on said photographic film, for collation of said photographic film with said set of said photographic prints.   
     
     
       17. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein said fourth ID number is recorded on said film leader portion. 
     
     
       18. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein said fourth ID number is recorded as a pattern of holes in said film. 
     
     
       19. A method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising the step of: recording first and second bar codes corresponding respectively to said second and third ID numbers on at least one of said prints and said envelope, respectively; and   reading said first and second bar codes during a collating process.   
     
     
       20. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said second bar code is read by a bar code reader so as to record said first ID number on said magnetic recording layer corresponding to said second bar code. 
     
     
       21. A method of collating a developed photographic film with a set of photographic prints made from said film, said film having a photosensitive emulsion layer for recording a plurality of original frames and a magnetic recording layer for data recording comprising the steps of: recording a customer's first ID data in said magnetic recording layer during a reception process of a photofinishing order;   recording a customer's second ID data, corresponding to said first ID data, on an envelope;   recording a customer's third ID data on said photographic film during said reception process, said third ID data corresponding to said second ID data and being in the form of visually readable symbols;   reading said first ID data and recording a customer's fourth ID data, corresponding to said first ID data, onto at least one print of said set of photographic prints during a printing process; and   comparing said second, third, and fourth ID data with one another, so as to check the correspondence between a set of said photographic prints, said photographic film, and said envelope.   
     
     
       22. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein said first, second, third, and fourth ID data indicate a number. 
     
     
       23. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein said third ID data is recorded in a leader portion of said photographic film. 
     
     
       24. A method as claimed in claim 23, wherein said customer's ID number is recorded in a pattern of holes in said film. 
     
     
       25. A method of collating a developed photographic film with a set of photographic prints made from said film, said film having a photosensitive emulsion layer for recording a plurality of original frames and a magnetic recording layer for recording data, comprising the steps of: recording a customer's first ID data on an envelope, said first customer's ID data being in the form of mechanically readable symbols;   reading said first ID data from said envelope and recording a customer's second ID data, corresponding to said first ID data, in said magnetic recording layer during a reception process of a photofinishing order;   reading said second ID data from said magnetic recording layer and recording a customer's third ID data on at least one of said photographic prints, said third ID data corresponding to said second ID data and being indicated by mechanically readable symbols; and   comparing said first, second, and third ID data with one another, so as to check the correspondence between a set of said photographic prints, said photographic film and said envelope.   
     
     
       26. A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein said first, second, and third ID data are indicative of a number. 
     
     
       27. A method as claimed in claim 26, wherein said first and third ID data are in the form of bar codes.